1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of archery. Specifically, the invention relates broadhead arrowheads found on arrow devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Arrowheads have been used in bowhunting for thousands of years. Prior art broadhead arrows were invented to increase effective hunting penetration and success potential. Typically two to four flat, triangular blades are arranged around the forward pointed tip. As the tip enters the intended target, the blades slice a region much greater than the diameter of the arrow shaft. Unfortunately, these broad, flat blades have a pronounced aerodynamic effect that can radically affect the overall stability of the arrow in flight and significantly reduce the precision of flight.
Mechanical broadhead arrowheads were developed to address problems associated with traditional bladed broadheads. Mechanical broadheads include deployable bladed or spiny bleeder appendages that remain closely attached to the main body of the arrowhead from release until impact. This reduces the overall aerodynamic effect of large, bladed structures during flight. Upon deployment, such appendages provide greater cutting surfaces and or means for lodging within the wounded target than a simple flat blade.
One problem with prior art mechanical designs is the means for preventing premature deployment of the mechanical bleeder blades is often imprecise and unreliable. One such means commonly found in the art is an elastic band wrapped around both the shaft and deployable appendages. During penetration, the elastic band must be broken or forced rearward in order for deployment to occur. Because such a means directly contacts the wound, the amount of drag applied to the means can be affected by the consistency of the immediate wound site. Soft portions of the target provide insufficient drag to trigger deployment. For all these reasons, deployment of prior art mechanical broadheads often fails.
The present invention is a mechanical broadhead arrowhead with two key features. The first key feature is the geometry of the main blade, which includes a flat primary portion and two trailing portions that are each continuously curved out of the plane of the main blade in the same rotational direction. This airfoil design provides excellent rotation of the arrow shaft during flight without producing a large amount of aerodynamic drag.
A second key feature of the present invention is the inclusion of mechanically deployable blades. These deployable blades include a novel spring-loaded inertial trigger mechanism that both inhibits premature deployment during release and flight yet also facilitates deployment during impact with the intended target. The invention is compatible with all contemporary arrow shafts.